By
definition, software development lifecycle (SDLC) is a systematic, iterative
and structured way of developing applications. The steps involved in the SDLC
include research, planning analysis, design, building, testing, deploying and
maintaining the system.
The
advantage of having the software development lifecycle is to develop software
that meet or even surpass the expectations of the clients. When the order is adhered
to, chances are that there would be minimal
gaffes in the software build.
Having an
SDLC saves you the pain of starting to build software from scratch. It ensures
you are well aware of the processes involved even before you begin developing
code.
The other
benefit of having an SDLC together is that you get to plan ahead and define
your development goals ahead of time.
To examine
the best practice in Software Development Lifecycle, we shall observe the seven
phases of SDLC. These are: Planning, Analysis, Development, Testing,
Documentation, Deployment and Maintenance.
So, what are the best Practices for SDLC
Planning: Being the first step of an
intricate process, Planning is a key step in determining your objectives. You
should leverage this stage to plan the project requirements at this stage.
These requirements will act as your Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
Analysis: Requirements analysis is the next
stage in System
Development Lifecycle. Best practice demands that you conduct a complete
feasibility study with the aim of ensuring all requirements for the project are
available.
The
requirements may range from the goals to be achieved, the technical assets as
well as a team of developers to write the code and conduct tests.
Also, the metrics to define the scope of
project success should be defined at this stage.
Development:
This is where the developers jump in. At the onset, the developers have
to be aware of the nature of task they are undertaking to do.
The development
task could range from a normal software upgrade, addition of a new feature or
even the creation of new software altogether.
At this
stage, a project manager or the software engineer should clearly define the
nature of the product they want to be developed. This way, developers get to
have a clear picture of the deliverables to expect.
Testing: The next stage after developing
code is the testing phase. Based on your pre-determined Key Performance
Indicators, the code should be tested to determine whether it performs as
intended.
Similarly,
testing should be able to eliminate
bugs in the code, and also ensure that the code performs according to the
standards stipulated in the planning stage.
Documentation: The next phase of the SDLC is the
documentation. Here you should endeavour to note down all the software changes
you perform.
The logic
behind this best practice of documenting all the key changes in software code is
that it helps you to identify all the specific areas that potentially portend
problems.
With
accurate documentation, you stand a better chance of having an easy testing
phase due to having a clear area of focus.
Maintenance:
This is the face that is considered to be the end of software development.
However, SDLC is an iterative process.
Once the software passes the tests it is passed up to the IT
department to keep it running smoothly. This stage is the maintenance where the
anomalies are identified and suggested for coding.
Conclusion
SDLC is by principle an iterative process. As such, these
best practice guidelines are sure to help you in determining what to do and how
to go about it.
